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Cansu Dagbagli Ferreira's Hocking Hills Web Design presents a sophisticated responsive web interface demonstration rendered across dual device formats, establishing a clear visual hierarchy through st
Cansu Dagbagli Ferreira's Hocking Hills Web Design presents a sophisticated browser-based interface mockup rendered in a landscape orientation that demonstrates accomplished understanding of digital s
A comprehensive icon system rendered in a consistent teal-green hue presents one hundred individual glyphs arranged in a ten-by-ten grid upon a pale neutral ground, each pictogram occupying equal spat
Cansu Dagbagli Ferreira's Hocking Hills Web Design presents a meticulously orchestrated digital interface composition rendered as an isometric multi-screen arrangement showcasing four distinct viewpor
Cansu Dagbagli Ferreira's Hocking Hills Web Design presents a meticulously structured digital interface exemplifying contemporary web design principles through its harmonious integration of imagery an

Cansu Dagbagli Ferreira

Bronze Interface, Interaction and User Experience Design · 2025

Hocking Hills Web Design

by Cansu Dagbagli Ferreira

  • A' Design Award 2025 Bronze Winner in Interface, Interaction and User Experience Design
  • Awarded April 15, 2025
  • CLIENT: Cansu Dagbagli Ferreira
  • Estimated Number of Design Views: 33,190
  • Verification code F7BAAF4230 · Verify this award
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About Hocking Hills Web Design

The redesign of Hockinghills.com introduces a streamlined and contemporary booking platform for nature stays and outdoor activities. Prioritizing clarity and usability, the updated design features a minimalist approach that highlights the natural beauty of Hocking Hills. A refined user interface, optimized navigation, and a set of over 100 custom icons enhance accessibility and functionality. The result is a cohesive and engaging digital experience that simplifies trip planning while staying true to the brands dedication to nature, community, and seamless exploration.

Cansu Dagbagli Ferreira's Hocking Hills Web Design engages contemporary digital design discourse through a responsive interface system that demonstrates sophisticated integration of naturalistic photography with functional user experience architecture, situating itself within the broader evolution of hospitality and vacation rental platform design where visual appeal must harmonize with transactional efficiency and multi-device accessibility. The work achieves notable compositional balance through its dual-device presentation format, a convention that has emerged within the past decade as responsive design methodology has become essential to digital practice, here executed with particular attention to maintaining visual identity coherence across dramatically different viewport dimensions while preserving essential interactive pathways and information hierarchy. The chromatic strategy exhibits considerable sophistication, deploying a muted organic palette of sage greens, warm earth browns, and cool neutral grays that establishes immediate thematic resonance with the outdoor recreation and natural environment context suggested by the cascading waterfall hero imagery, the color relationships demonstrate an understanding of both aesthetic harmony and functional communication with the sage green accent functioning simultaneously as brand identifier and call-to-action emphasis creating clear visual pathways through the interface architecture. The technical execution reveals accomplished handling of contemporary web design conventions including card-based information organization, icon-driven category communication, modal overlay systems for focused task completion, and progressive disclosure principles that manage complexity without overwhelming users, the layering strategy particularly merits attention as the translucent modal overlay maintains contextual awareness through the visible background photography while establishing sufficient contrast for functional legibility, a delicate balance requiring careful attention to opacity values, shadow treatments, and typographic weight selection. The integration of naturalistic photography serves multiple functions within the composition, establishing immediate emotional connection and atmospheric immersion while communicating the experiential promise of the platform's offerings, the waterfall imagery with its soft-focus background treatment and sharp foreground detail demonstrates photographic skill in creating depth and visual interest while maintaining suitability as interface backdrop, the cool cyan-tinted water passages contrasted against warm amber-lit stone and deep forest greens suggest careful selection or color grading to achieve chromatic harmony with the interface overlay elements. The information architecture reveals user-centered design thinking with logical grouping of related functions, intuitive icon-based communication supplemented by clear text labels, generous whitespace providing visual breathing room and reducing cognitive load, and careful attention to touch target sizing and spacing suggesting consideration for mobile interaction patterns, the property type and amenity selection systems employ clean geometric organization with consistent styling creating learnable patterns that facilitate rapid comprehension and efficient task completion. The work participates in broader conversations within digital design practice regarding the balance between aesthetic differentiation and convention adherence, here achieving distinctiveness through chromatic choices and photographic integration while respecting established usability patterns that users have come to expect from booking and reservation interfaces, this negotiation between innovation and familiarity represents a recurring challenge in commercial digital design where creative expression must serve business objectives and user task completion rather than existing as aesthetic gesture alone. The responsive adaptation from desktop to mobile format demonstrates technical facility in translating complex functionality across radically different spatial constraints while maintaining brand coherence and user experience quality, the mobile implementation visible in the secondary device shows thoughtful consideration of vertical scrolling patterns, thumb-friendly interaction zones, and prioritization decisions about content and feature prominence within limited viewport real estate. One might observe how the work invites contemplation of the evolving relationship between digital interfaces and the physical experiences they mediate, the waterfall imagery functioning as both aesthetic element and symbolic promise of the natural environments users might access through successful platform engagement, suggesting how contemporary digital design increasingly serves as threshold space between online transaction and offline experience, and how visual design choices shape user expectations, emotional responses, and ultimately behavioral outcomes within these liminal digital-physical spaces.

Press Kit

Unique Properties
The redesign of Hockinghills.com modernizes the booking platform for nature stays and outdoor activities in Hocking Hills State Park. The project involved a complete brand refresh, UX and UI enhancements, and the creation of over 100 custom icons. The updated design improves navigation, refines the user experience, and ensures visual consistency across the platform while maintaining the brands deep connection to the local community and natural environment.
Dimensions & Packaging
Desktop and mobile screens were designed for the whole website in a responsive manner.
Tags
website, travel, outdoors, icon design, user interface
Production Technology
The design thinking method of Diverge and Converge was used. All design was realized digitally as vector based assets with Adobe Creative Suite and Figma.
Design Challenge
Even though an extensive design system was created, the project requirements evolved according to the project needs and as a result of that, keeping the consistency was a challenge.
Project Duration
1 year from June 2023 to June 2024
USA and France
Operation Flow
Hockinghills website is used for researching and booking accommodations, activites in Hocking Hills national park.
Research
According to the real user data from the existing website, user problems and needs are analysed and UX improvements are done accordingly.
Inspiration
The redesign is inspired by the need for clarity and ease of use, allowing the natural beauty of Hocking Hills to take center stage. The minimal and modern design approach removes visual clutter, creating a seamless and intuitive experience. A refined icon set enhances usability without distraction, while the structured layout and clean typography ensure effortless navigation. The result is a functional yet elegant platform that connects users to nature with simplicity and efficiency.

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Grand Interview about Hocking Hills Web Design

The key was to never let the technology overpower the story of Hocking Hills. From the beginning, our goal was to make the platform feel like a quiet companion to nature, not an intrusive digital layer. We streamlined booking flows and navigation to be as intuitive as possible, but visually, we leaned on restraint. Neutral, earthy tones, subtle textures, and plenty of breathing space ensure the experience feels calm, inviting, and reflective of the park's organic beauty, rather than corporate or over-designed. It was a constant balancing act between functionality and feeling.

The icon set was designed to quietly guide, not distract. Our philosophy was rooted in simplicity and clarity, with visual language inspired by natural forms: rounded edges, soft curves, a sense of approachability. Every icon serves a specific purpose, distilled to its essence so users recognize it intuitively. We also maintained consistent line weights and style to avoid visual noise. By keeping the system coherent, the icons help declutter information and improve scalability without adding complexity.

Even though I was working from France and the project was rooted in Ohio, the love for nature is a universal feeling. That was our foundation. We didn’t approach this as just a local tourism platform, it was about capturing that shared human connection to being outdoors, exploring, and finding peace in nature. The visual language, the calm tone, the intuitive structure, all of it was designed to feel welcoming whether you’re a local planning a weekend getaway or an international visitor discovering Hocking Hills for the first time. Nature brings people together, and we built on that idea.

For me, minimalism isn’t about removing for the sake of aesthetics, it’s about focusing attention. We started by asking what truly adds value to the user's journey. Visual clutter, heavy gradients, or complex graphics were stripped away. We retained subtle textures, understated photography, and a harmonious color palette: elements that complement the park's natural character. Anything that didn't serve clarity, mood, or usability was eliminated. The result feels intentional, calm, and human.

The previous website had been in place for almost 15 years, and while it served its purpose for a time, both the navigation flow and the overall UI were no longer relevant to today’s user expectations. We wanted to modernize the look and feel, but design isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about solving real problems. That’s where the user data became essential. We studied how people interacted with the old platform and identified points of confusion, like several pages offering overlapping functions, which we streamlined or eliminated entirely. We also improved the overall flow to make it more intuitive, reducing friction and helping users find what they need with ease.

We approached the design system like building with adaptable, well-crafted pieces. Typography, color palette, spacing rules, and iconography were defined early with enough flexibility to evolve as new requirements emerged. The key was establishing clear visual principles - natural, approachable, minimal -so even as components grew, the system stayed coherent. Regular design reviews ensured alignment, and because the foundation was solid, scaling the system didn’t dilute the brand character.

The biggest challenge was ensuring the immersive, spacious feel translated to smaller screens without sacrificing usability. Mobile users often book on the go, so we prioritized thumb-friendly interactions, simplified navigation, and collapsible menus. We also adjusted spacing and imagery to maintain a sense of calm, not overwhelm. Testing across devices was constant, our goal was that whether on a desktop or phone, users experience the same intuitive, nature-inspired flow.

It was never about imposing a trendy design language. We focused on quiet modernity - clean lines, thoughtful typography, and restrained color choices that feel contemporary but never sterile. Local heritage was honored through organic textures, earthy tones, and respectful imagery that highlight the park’s beauty without resorting to clichés. The result feels both modern and grounded, acknowledging where the brand comes from while preparing it for where it's going.

I believe digital experiences for nature-focused destinations should evoke the same values as the places themselves: calm, clarity, and connection. With Hocking Hills, we demonstrated that platforms can be efficient and modern without losing authenticity. I hope this encourages other brands to move away from over-commercialized, template-driven solutions and instead create digital spaces that respect the environment they represent, inviting exploration while staying true to the essence of the place.

Booking a cabin or planning activities shouldn’t feel like filling out a tax form. We broke the process into digestible steps with clear progress indicators. Visual hierarchy guides users intuitively, while contextual information - like availability tips or map previews - appears only when needed. We reduced form fields, optimized search filters, and ensured actions like reserving, paying, or exploring activities feel light and seamless. The platform offers everything users need, just without the overwhelm.

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